Surgical needle-suture attachment with a lubricated suture tip for controlled suture release

ABSTRACT

A combined surgical needle-suture device of controlled suture release characteristics and a method for manufacturing the device employ a shrinkable tubing to connect the needle to a suture possessing a lubricated tip.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of commonly assigned, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 413,240, filed Sep. 27, 1989, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for attaching a surgical needle to a suture to provide a combined surgical needle-suture device possessing controlled suture release characteristics and, more particularly, to such a method in which a shrinkable tubing, rather than swaging or crimping, is employed to secure the needle to the suture.

For many years, surgeons have employed needle-suture combinations in which a suture or ligature is attached to the shank end of a needle. Such needle-suture combinations are provided for a wide variety of monofilament and braided suture materials, both absorbable and non-absorbable, e.g., catgut, silk, nylon, polyester, polypropylene, linen, cotton, and absorbable synthetic materials such as polymers and copolymers of glycolic and lactic acids.

Needle-suture combinations fall into two general classes: standard needle attachment and removable or detachable needle attachment. In the case of standard needle attachment, the suture is securely attached to the needle and is not intended to be separable therefrom, except by cutting or severing the suture. Removable needle attachment, by contrast, is such that the needle is separable from the suture in response to a force exerted by the surgeon. Minimum acceptable forces required to separate a needle from a suture (for various suture sizes) are set forth in the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). The United States Pharmacopoeia prescribes minimum individual pull-out forces and minimum average pull-out forces as measured for five needle-suture combinations. The minimum pull-out forces for both standard and removable needle-suture attachment set forth in the United States Pharmacopoeia are hereby incorporated by reference.

One typical method for securing a suture to a needle involves providing a cylindrical recess in the shank end of a needle and securing a suture therein. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,558,037 teaches the addition of a cement material to such a substantially cylindrical recess to secure the suture therein. Additional methods for bonding a suture within a needle bore are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,928,395 (adhesives) and 3,394,704 (bonding agents). Alternatively, a suture may be secured within an axial bore in a needle by swaging the needle in the region of the recess. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 1,250,114. Additional prior art methods for securing a suture within a needle bore include expansion of a catgut suture through the application of heat (U.S. Pat. No. 1,665,216), inclusion of protruding teeth within the axial bore to grasp an inserted suture (U.S. Pat. No. 1,678,361) and knotting the end of the suture to be inserted within the bore to secure the suture therein (U.S. Pat. No. 1,757,129).

Methods for detachably securing a suture to a needle are also well known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. and 3,980,177 teach swaging a suture within a needle bore such that the suture has a pull-out value of 3 to 26 ounces. Alternative detachable attachment methods include providing a weakened suture segment (U.S Pat. No. 3,949,756), lubricant tipping the end of a suture to be inserted in the axial bore of a needle (U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,031) and pre-tensioning a suture that is swaged within an axial needle bore (U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,946). See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,799,169; 3,880,167; 3,924,630; 3,926,194; 3,943,933; 3,981,307; 4,124,027; and, 4,127,133.

Another method for attaching a suture to a needle involves the use of tubing which is secured to the shank end of the needle and to the suture. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,613,206 describes the use of a tubing (preferably silver) which is secured to the shank end of a needle and to a ligature. It is suggested that the tube may be attached to the needle by pressure or soldering and to the ligature by pressure or cementing. It is also suggested that the shank of the needle be of reduced cross section and that the furthest extremity of the reduced diameter shank section be provided with a spike or point upon which the suture may be secured prior to tube application.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,240,330 describes a tubing attachment method whereby the tubing and suture are releasably secured to the needle. In particular, the needle and tubing are provided with cooperating catch and abutment means which are released one from the other by rotating the needle 90° relative to the tubing (or vice versa). The tubing is manufactured from spring-tempered carbon steel or chrome nickel steel and is secured to the suture by heating the tubing and then swaging to the suture.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,100 relates to a flexible composite suture having a tandem linkage. The needle is secured to a flexible suture leader manufactured from a readily sterilizable plastic such as nylon, linear polyethylene, isotactic polypropylene, polyester, silk or other proteinaceous material, e.g., by inserting and crimping the leader within an axial bore in the needle shank. The opposite end of the suture leader is crimped within a connector sleeve of a thin walled metal tubing, e.g., stainless steel. The opposite end of the tubing is crimped around a stiff suture, e.g., monofilament stainless steel.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,455 describes a needle-suture attachment wherein a hollow suture portion is secured to the shank end of a needle which is of reduced cross-section as compared to the remainder of the needle.

Additional patents which describe the use of tubing to effect suture-needle attachment include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,672,734 (forming needle from U-shaped metal plate around suture), 4,359,053 (silicone tubing), 3,835,912 (laser welding of metal tube to needle),2,814,296, 2,802,468 (chamfered tubing ends), 2,302,886, 2,240,330, 1,981,651 (needle and tubing screw threaded), 1,960,117, and 1,591,021.

Numerous disadvantages exist with methods used heretofore to effect needle-suture attachment For example, those methods which involve the formation and use of an axial bore in the shank end of the needle require the use of expensive hole forming equipment. Moreover, it is difficult to maintain the bore concentric with the center-line of the needle and to control the depth (and diameter) of the bore when drilling the needle shank, whether sing conventional drilling equipment or laser drilling. Another disadvantage is the possibility that foreign substances may inadvertently or uncontrollably be introduced into the needle bore, e.g., oil used during drilling or lubricant, such as silicone, from the needle coating process. Safeguards employed in an attempt to prevent the introduction of such foreign materials, e.g., water blocking during needle siliconization, are inconvenient adding time, effort and cost to the needle production process.

Attachment processes which employ bored needle shanks also limit the range of materials from which needles may be fabricated in a cost effective fashion. For example, it is exceedingly difficult to drill Series 300 stainless steel (laser drilling is required) and, once drilled, it is difficult to swage Series 300 stainless steel in a consistent and reliable manner. For this reason, Series 300 stainless steel is not employed for the vast majority of needled suture products despite its advantageous combination of strength and ductility characteristics as compared to conventionally employed Series 400 stainless steel.

Additional disadvantages associated with needle-suture attachment methods which employ bored needle shanks include the weakness imparted to the bored section of the needle, particularly after swaging, and the attendant increased possibility that the needle will fracture in this region. It is also difficult to provide a specialized surface finish to the needle shank to assist in needle attachment, e.g., a texturized surface and/or a tapered bore. Swaging equipment used in such needle-suture attachment methods is also maintenance intensive.

Needle-suture attachment methods which have employed tubings heretofore also exhibit numerous disadvantages. Methods which employ metal tubings greatly diminish the flexibility of the needle-suture combination in the attachment region. Such diminished flexibility has a deleterious effect in many surgical procedures. Swaging of the tubing to the needle and the suture is also undesirable in that swaging is time-consuming, maintenance intensive, and subject to variability in attachment force.

Moreover, needle-suture attachment methods which have employed tubings heretofore have necessarily required the use of tubing having an inner diameter essentially equal to the outer diameters of the needle shank and suture tip to be attached. Too large a difference between the aforesaid inner and outer diameters inhibits the attachment process, and prevents a tight, secure interface between needle (and/or suture) and tubing. The limited tolerance between the tubing inner diameter and the needle shank/suture outer diameters in such methods make these dimensions critical, thereby making the attachment process more difficult and time-consuming, and increasing the likelihood of attachment failure and/or rejected materials.

Commonly assigned, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 413,240, filed Sep. 27, 1989, of which the present application is a continuation-in-part, describes and claims a combined surgical needle-suture device and surgical needle-suture attachment method which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks of the previously known needle-suture combinations and needle-suture attachment methods. In accordance with said application, a combined surgical needle-suture device is provided in which a surgical needle having a shank of reduced cross-section is attached to a suture through a shrinkable tubing, or microferrule, which is fitted about the needle shank and a portion of the suture. Application of energy to the shrinkable tubing brings the tubing into engagement with both the needle shank and the suture. The physical and chemical characteristics of the shrinkable tubing material, the relative diameters of the tubing, the needle shank and the suture, and the amount of energy applied to the tubing may be controlled to provide a needle-suture combination having a desired pull-out force. It is thus possible to produce standard needle-suture combinations and removable needle-suture combinations using a single attachment process and a common inventory of materials.

Minimum average pull-out forces for various sizes of combined surgical needle-suture deices are set forth in the United States Pharmacopoeia and are as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                       Average Pull-Out                                                 Suture Size   Force/Ounces                                                     ______________________________________                                         8/0            2.39                                                            7/0            3.20                                                            6/0            5.92                                                            5/0            7.97                                                            4/0           15.97                                                            3/0           23.63                                                            2/0           38.80                                                            1/0           52.89                                                            1             63.48                                                            2 and larger  63.48                                                            ______________________________________                                    

U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,946, referred to supra, describes needle-suture combinations said to exhibit suture pull-out values that are substantially less than those given by the United States Pharmacopoeia as set forth above. According to U.S. Pat, No. 3,875,946, employing the procedure described therein, combined surgical needle-suture devices can be obtained with the following average pull out forces:

    ______________________________________                                                       Average Pull-Out                                                 Suture Size   Forces/Ounces                                                    ______________________________________                                         8/0           1-2                                                              7/0           1-3                                                              6/0           2-5                                                              5/0           3-7                                                              4/0            3-15                                                            3/0            3-23                                                            2/0            3-26                                                            1/0           10-26                                                            1             10-26                                                            2 and larger  10-26                                                            ______________________________________                                    

These pull-out forces are obtained by pre-stressing the suture, i.e., by applying tension to the suture after the tip of the suture has been inserted into an axial bore, or recess, formed in the blunt end of the needle and the needled suture has been swaged so that the force required to pull the suture out of the recess exceeds the minimum limits on needle attachment set forth in the United States Pharmacopoeia but is less than the actual tensile strength of the suture used. As the suture is pulled from the needle during application of the tensioning force, the force required to move the suture relative to the swaged section decreases. When the tensioning force required to move the end of the suture relative to the needle recess drops to the desired pull-out value, the tension is released.

The foregoing procedure is said to permit better control of the resulting needle-suture device in that the force required to separate a suture of a particular size from its attached needle is uniform.

In the approach to achieving controlled needle-suture separation described in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,031, a combined surgical needle-suture device of the drilled recess variety has the suture tip inserted into the recess and held in tight engagement therewith by crimping the needle. The aforesaid patent features a lubricant layer at the juncture between the needle and the suture, specifically, between the inner surfaces of the crimped recess and the outer surface of the tip of the suture. The lubricant lowers the pull-out value of the needle-suture combination to a value which ranges from 3-26 ounces depending on the size of the suture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for attaching a surgical needle to a suture to provide a combined surgical needle-suture device exhibiting a reduced average level of pull-out force for a suture of given size which comprises:

a) providing a boreless surgical needle possessing a shank end of reduced cross-section

b) coating a suture tip region with a release lubricant;

c) placing a shrinkable tubing around the reduced diameter shank end of the needle and the lubricated tip region of the suture;

d) applying energy to the shrinkable tubing to bring the tubing into engagement with the end of the needle shank and the lubricated tip region of the suture thereby providing the combined surgical needle-suture device,

the average level of pull-out force required to achieve separation of the needle and suture being significantly less than that required for a similar combined surgical needle-suture device lacking lubricant on the surface of the tip region of the suture.

In addition to the foregoing surgical needle-suture attachment method, the present invention includes the resulting combined surgical needle-suture device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a surgical needle possessing a shank end of reduced diameter and a suture possessing a tip region having a release lubricant coating, with a shrinkable tubing positioned around the needle shank and suture tip (prior to engagement of the tubing with the needle and suture);

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the needle and suture combination of FIG. 1 following shrinking of the tubing to effect engagement of the needle and suture;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the combined surgical needle-suture device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the shank end of the needle is scored;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the shank end of the needle is ribbed;

FIG. 6 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the shank end of the needle is threaded;

FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the needle shank end is tapered to expand in a direction away from a remainder of the needle;

FIG. 8 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the needle shank end is tapered to expand in a direction towards the remainder of the needle; and

FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of a surgical needle possessing a shank end of reduced diameter and a suture possessing a coating along its length and a tip region further coated with a tipping agent and with a release lubricant, with a shrinkable tubing positioned around the needle shank and suture tip (prior to engagement of the tubing with the needle and suture).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a combined surgical needle-suture method and resulting surgical needle-suture device featuring controlled suture release. The invention has application to any suture material whether absorbable or non-absorbable, natural or synthetic, braided or monofilament, and to any needle material and configuration whether straight or curved.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, needle 10 has a reduced cross-sectional diameter at its shank end 12 relative to the remainder of needle 14. The diameter of shank end 12 can be reduced by any conventional means, e.g., machining on a lathe. Typically, shank end 12 has a diameter from b 10 to 65% smaller than the remainder 14 of needle 10, and preferably from 25 to 50% smaller. It is also possible to provide shank end 12 with a texturized surface to facilitate gripping by shrinkable tubing 20. For example, shank end 12 can be scored, ribbed or threaded, in whole or in part (FIGS. 4-6 respectively). It can also be desirable to taper shank end 12 such that its butt, or distal, end 16 is of greater cross-sectional diameter than the cross-sectional diameter of shank end 12 in the region of shoulder 18, or vice versa (FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively).

Tip region 31 of suture 30 possesses a layer of release lubricant 32 upon its surface. The release lubricant functions to reduce the pull-out force required to separate needle 14 from suture 30 to an average value which is significantly less, e.g., from about 15 to about 75% less, than that required in the absence of lubricant In general, this reduced average pull-out force can, by selection of the release lubricant and its manner and amount of application, be made to fall within the following range of values for the size of suture indicated:

    ______________________________________                                                       Average Pull-Out                                                 Suture Size   Forces/Ounces                                                    ______________________________________                                         8/0           1-2                                                              7/0           1-3                                                              6/0           2-5                                                              5/0           3-7                                                              4/0            3-15                                                            3/0            3-23                                                            2/0            3-26                                                            1/0           10-26                                                            1             10-26                                                            2 and larger  10-26                                                            ______________________________________                                    

While either the surface of the suture tip region or the inner surface of shrinkable tubing 20 which is to make contact with the surface of suture tip region 31 can be initially coated with release lubricant, it is within the scope of this invention to apply release lubricant to either or both surfaces. Where release lubricant is applied solely to the inner surface of tubing 20, eventual contact of that surface with the surface of suture tip region 31 will result in transfer of a portion of the release lubricant to the latter surface. The same or different release lubricants can be used in coating the inner surface cf the tubing and the tip of the suture where both are coated.

As disclosed in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,031, any lubricant which is non-toxic and capable of depositing a solid, semi-solid or liquid layer of good lubricity can be used to lubricate suture tip region 31 and/or to lubricate the inner surface of tubing 20. Suitable lubricants include silicone polymers; polyhaloalkylene polymers, particularly polytetrafluoroethylene; polyalkylene glycol polymers such as methoxy polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol; polytetramethylene glycol polymers with a molecular weight the range of from about 2,000 to about 13,000; hydroxyl-terminated polyester polymers from di-acids and glycols such as polytetramethylene idiopathy polymer; hydroxyl-terminated polyester polymers resulting from the polymerization of lactones such as epsilon-capralactone in the presence of a polymethylene diol such as 1,4-butanediol; metallic stearates such as aluminum stearate, calcium stearate and zinc stearate; long chain aliphatic amides such as coconut oil amide, oleamide and stearamide; glycerol esters of long chain fatty acids such as glycerolmono- and distearates, glycerol mono- and dioleates, and glycerol mono- and dilaurates; animal waxes such as spermaceti; insect waxes such as beeswax; vegetable waxes such as carnauba wax, Japan wax and cocoa butter; mineral waxes such as petrolatum, paraffin wax, micro-crystalline waxes and montan wax; and polyolefins such as polyethylene dispersions

The lubricant is advantageously applied from a volatile liquid carrier. The carrier can be a solvent for the lubricant or the lubricant can be finely dispersed in a non-solvent liquid. Typical carriers which can be either solvents or non-solvents depending on the nature of the lubricant include water, hydrocarbons such as n-heptane, benzene and toluene and halogenated hydrocarbons.

In some cases a lubricant can be used without a carrier, particularly a lubricant which is produced in situ by proceeding from a monomeric state to a polymeric state or from an uncured state to a cured state. Some silicone materials are commonly sold and used without a solvent or carrier and can serve in the uncured state as adhesives. They can be cured in situ, however, to produce stable silicone polymer coatings which have lubricant properties

Application of release lubricant to the surface of suture tip region 31 and/or the inner surface of shrinkable tubing 20 can be accomplished by any of several methods, e.g., dipping, spraying, coating, etc. The material of suture 30 can be any of the filament-forming natural and synthetic materials heretofore employed in the fabrication of sutures, e.g., absorbable materials such as gut, collagen, homopolymers and copolymers of lactide and glycolide, etc., and non-absorbable materials such as silk, nylon, polypropylene, cotton, linen and some types of polyester.

The amount of release lubricant employed can vary within relatively large limits and is not critical provided at least a lubricating amount of release lubricant is present on the inner surface of shrinkable tubing 20 and/or tip region 31 of suture 30. Specific quantities of release lubricant for a particular combined surgical needle-suture device and desired pull-out force can be readily determined employing routine experimentation.

It is also known to coat or impregnate sutures with lubricant materials such as wax or polytetrafluoroethylene in order to improve suture handling, knot run down and knot tying characteristics. Notwithstanding the presence of such a suture coating, the coated suture tip remains relatively limp, and is not sufficiently stiff to be inserted into a needle recess. Coated braid sutures are also known to experience brooming, which further makes it difficult or impossible to position the suture tip for needle attachment. To overcome these problems, braided sutures typically are "tipped" with a material which prevents brooming of the suture filaments and stiffens the suture tip to facilitate attachment of the suture to a needle. Suture coatings ordinarily are removed from the suture prior to tipping, or are coated over with the tipping agent.

In accordance with the present invention, it is desirable to remove suture coatings or to coat over the suture coatings with a tipping agent. In order to simplify manufacture and reduce process steps, it is desirable to eliminate the need to remove any suture coating by providing a tipping agent that effectively coats over all types of suture coatings. Cyanoacrylate, particularly Loctite™ Medical Adhesive 18014, has been found to satisfy these requirements Indeed, it has been found that cyanoacrylate tipping thoroughly covers the suture coating and creates a barrier between the suture coating and a release lubricant applied to the suture tip in accordance with the present invention. In this manner, the release characteristics of the needle-suture attachment in accordance with the invention advantageously can be determined and controlled independent of the suture coating by optimizing the type and amount of release lubricant applied over the tipping agent.

In accordance with this aspect of the invention, as shown in FIG. 9 suture 30, which may be a braided suture, having a suture coating 34 over the entire length thereof is tipped with a tipping agent 36, preferably cyanoacrylate. Thereafter, in accordance with the invention lubricant layer 32 is applied to a suture tip region 31 over tipping agent 36.

Suture 30 is positioned within shrinkable tubing 20 with suture tip 31 abutting or sep a short distance from distal end 16 of shank 12. As shown in FIG. 1, suture 30 can initially be of uniform cross-section throughout its length. Alternatively, tip region 31 of suture 30, i.e., the region inserted into tubing 20, can reduced cross-section relative to the remainder of suture 30, e.g., by tipping the suture tip with an adhesive or resinous tipping agent while suture 30 is under tension. (See, e.g., Canadian Patent No. 1,009,532.) Reducing the diameter of the suture tip as by resin tipping is advantageous in preventing brooming of the suture, particularly in the case of multifilament braided sutures, and/or to rigidify tip 31 to facilitate handling of the suture during attachment. It is not necessary according to the present invention, however, to reduce the diameter of tip region 31 to efficiently attach needle 10 to suture 30. Indeed, it may be possible or desirable to apply a tipping agent to prevent brooming without reducing suture diameter. As shown in FIG. 1, shrinkable tubing 20 initially has an inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of suture tip region 31 thereby reducing the importance of suture tipping.

After shrinkable tubing 20 is placed around shank end 12 of needle 10 and tip region 31 of suture 30, energy is applied to tubing 20. In response to this energy, tubing 20 contracts or shrinks and engages shank end 12 and suture tip region 31. The overall length of tubing 20 may also be affected by the application of energy, e.g., the length of tubing 20 may reduce. Thus, the shrinking of tube 20 brings the inner surface of tubing 20 into engagement with shank end 12 and suture tip region 31 thereby securing suture 30 to needle 10. Suitable energy sources include heat (convective or conductive), radiation, microwave energy, etc.

As shown in FIGS. 1-2, shrinkable tubing 20 is simultaneously placed around both suture tip region 31 and shank end 12 of needle 10 in one embodiment of the present invention. It is preferable, however, to sequentially secure tubing 20 to needle 10 and suture tip region 31. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shrinkable tubing 20 is initially secured to shank end 12 through the localized application of energy to tubing 20 in the region surrounding shank end 12. After tubing 20 has been brought into engagement with shank end 12, tip 31 of suture 30 is inserted into tubing 20 and additional energy is applied thereto. Sequential shrinkage of tubing 20 makes it possible to vary the amount of energy used in securing tubing 20 to shank end 12 and suture tip 31, respectively, and to limit the exposure of suture 30 to energy during the attachment process. It may also be desirable to cool suture 30 in the region outside tubing 20 to prevent any undesirable degradation thereof, e.g., with a cold air curtain.

As shown in FIG. 2, the shrinkage of tubing 20 typically compresses suture 30 to some extent. This is particularly true where the suture is a braided multifilament material having void spaces in its structure. For example, tubing 20 may compress suture 30 by as much as 30 to 35% for a braided, synthetic absorbable suture and by a minimal amount for a relatively stiff material such as a monofilament surgical gut.

Shrinkable tubing 20 can be manufactured from any material which shrinks, i.e., reduces in diameter, in response to the application of energy. Suitable materials include "memory metals," e.g., nickel-titanium mixtures, nickel-iron-titanium mixtures, or copper based materials, as are well known in the art (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,759,552, 3,801,954, 4,198,081, and 4,773,680), and shrinkable plastic materials such as polyvinylidene fluoride materials available from Raychem Corporation, Menlo Park, Calif. under the tradename Kynar. In the case of shrinkable plastic materials, the tubing is typically extruded such that the inner diameter is less than the final desired inner diameter, i.e., the inner diameter of the tubing after energy application in the attachment method of the present invention. Thereafter, the extruded tubing is expanded radially outward through radial expansion means to provide a tubing of expanded inner diameter as shown, for example, by tubing 20 in FIG. 1. Such plastic tubing is thus adapted to shrink, or "recover", to its original extruded inner diameter in response to the application of a predetermined amount of energy.

The amount of energy applied to the tubing to effect the desired attachment, i.e., diameter reduction, depends upon the chemical characteristics of the tubing material, the relative dimensions of the tubing, the shank end of the needle and the suture, and the desired pull-out force for the needle-suture combination. For example, one polyvinylidene fluoride material available from Raychem Corporation (TT-850) shrinks at temperatures greater than 175° C., and is adapted to recover to about 50% of its radially expanded inner diameter. In such case, tubing 20 may be brought into engagement with shank end 12 of needle 10 and suture tip region 31, either simultaneously or sequentially, by heating tubing 20 to a temperature above 175° C. Tubing 20 may be heated through contact with a hot gas stream or with heated dies, or by other heating means. Typically, the outer diameters of shank end 12 and suture tip region 31 are greater than the fully recovered diameter of tubing 20, e.g., greater than 50% of the initial inner diameter of tubing 20 for the RT-850 material, such that tubing 20 engages shank end 12 and suture tip region 31. It is preferred that the attachment conditions be controlled such that the tubing remains secured to the needle once the suture is detached.

The foregoing surgical needle-suture attachment procedure has many advantages over previous attachment methods. Machining of the needle to provide a reduced diameter needle shank is much easier and more controllable than drilling processes, and permits the use of needle alloys which have previously been impractical, e.g., Series 300 stainless steel and MP35N (available from SPS Technologies). These heretofore impractical alloys have advantageous strength and ductility characteristics as compared to conventionally used Series 400 stainless steels. Moreover, an unreliable, expensive and maintenance intensive swaging process is replaced by a sterile, controllable and relatively inexpensive energy supply. The tubing used in the present invention may be color coded to designate suture material, standard versus detachable attachment, etc., particularly where a plastic tubing is employed.

The attachment method is also much more efficient from a processing and inventory control standpoint. For example, the tubing may be removed from a needle and the needle attached to a fresh suture, e.g., in instances where the suture and/or attachment properties of the initial suture-needle combination are outside specifications. In many instances, the suture may also be recovered and reused, thereby greatly reducing processing waste. The range of acceptable suture diameters is greatly expanded due to the ability of the tubing to recover or shrink to varying degrees, thereby minimizing the likelihood that suture production will be rejected for inability to attach several needle sizes because the shrinkable tubing is capable of recovering or shrinking to varying degrees. This greatly simplifies inventory considerations. Moreover, the needle-suture combinations are atraumatic and advantageously exhibit flexibility in the attachment region.

While the above description contains many specifics, these specifics should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for attaching a surgical needle to a suture to provide a combined surgical needle-suture device exhibiting a reduced average level of pull-out force for a suture of given size which comprises:a) providing a surgical needle possessing a shank end of reduced cross-section; b) coating a suture region with a release lubricant; c) placing a heat shrinkable polymeric tubing around the reduced diameter shank end of the needle and the lubricated tip region of the suture; d) applying energy to the shrinkable tubing to bring the tubing into engagement with the shank end of the needle and the lubricated tip region of the suture thereby providing the combined surgical needle-suture device, the average level of pull-out force required to achieve separation of the needle and suture being significantly less than that required for a similar combined surgical needle-suture device lacking lubricant on the surface of the tip region of the suture.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the average level of pull-out force required to achieve separation of the needle and suture is within the following range for the stated size of suture:

    ______________________________________                                                       Average Pull-Out                                                 Suture Size   Forces/Ounces                                                    ______________________________________                                         8/0           1-2                                                              7/0           1-3                                                              6/0           2-5                                                              5/0           3-7                                                              4/0            3-15                                                            3/0            3-23                                                            2/0            3-26                                                            1/0           10-26                                                            1             10-26                                                            2 and larger  10-26                                                            ______________________________________                                    


3. The method of claim 1 wherein the suture is a monofilament suture.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the suture is a multifilament suture.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the suture is fabricated from an absorbable or non-absorbable material.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the shrinkable tubing is fabricated from a memory metal or a shrinkable plastic.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the shrinkable tubing is fabricated from a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer.
 8. A combined surgical needle-suture device which comprises:a) a surgical needle possessing a shank end of reduced cross-section; b) a suture possessing a tip region with a lubricant on at least a portion of its surface; and c) a shrinkable tubing around the shank end of the needle and the tip region of the suture, the tubing being shrunk around the shank end of the needle and the tip region of the suture to provide the combined surgical needle-suture device, the average level of pull-out force required to achieve separation of the needle and suture being significantly less than that required for a similar combined surgical needle-suture device lacking lubricant on the surface of the tip region of the suture.
 9. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 8 wherein the average level of pull-out force required to achieve separation of the needle and suture is within the following range for the stated size of suture:

    ______________________________________                                                       Average Pull-Out                                                 Suture Size   Forces/Ounces                                                    ______________________________________                                         8/0           1-2                                                              7/0           1-3                                                              6/0           2-5                                                              5/0           3-7                                                              4/0            3-15                                                            3/0            3-23                                                            2/0            3-26                                                            1/0           10-26                                                            1             10-26                                                            2 and larger  10-26                                                            ______________________________________                                    


10. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 8 wherein the suture is a monofilament suture.
 11. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 8 wherein the suture is a multifilament suture.
 12. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 11 wherein said multifilament suture is tipped with a tipping agent.
 13. The Combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 12 wherein said tipping agent is cyanoacrylate.
 14. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 8 wherein said shank end is provided with a texturized surface to facilitate gripping by said shrinkable tubing.
 15. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 14 wherein said shank end is scored, ribbed or threaded, in whole or in part.
 16. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 8 wherein said shank end of reduced cross-section forms a shoulder with a remainder of said needle.
 17. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 16 wherein said shank end of reduced cross-section is tapered to expand in a direction away from said shoulder, such that a distal end of said shank end is of greater cross-sectional diameter than cross-sectional diameter of said shank end in a region of said shoulder.
 18. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 16 wherein said shank end of reduced cross-section is tapered to expand in a direction toward said shoulder, such that a distal end of said shank end is of smaller cross-sectional diameter than cross-sectional diameter of said shank end in a region of said shoulder.
 19. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 8 wherein the suture is fabricated from an absorbable material.
 20. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 8 wherein the shrinkable tubing is fabricated from a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer.
 21. The combined surgical needle-suture device of claim 8 wherein the suture is fabricated from a non-absorbable material.
 22. A combined surgical needle-suture device which comprises:a) a surgical needle possessing a shank end of reduced cross-section; b) a suture possessing a tip region with a lubricant on at least a portion of its surface; and c) a heat shrinkable polymeric tubing around the shank end of the needle and the tip region of the suture; the tubing being shrunk around the shank end of the needle and the tip region of the suture to provide the combined surgical needle-suture device; the average level pull-out force required to achieve separation of the needle and suture being significantly less than that required for a similar combined surgical needle-suture device lacking lubricant on the surface of the tip region of the sutures; wherein the suture is a multifilament suture, said multifilament suture tipped with a tipping agent, and wherein said tipping agent is cyanoacrylate.
 23. A combined surgical needle-suture device which comprises:a) a surgical needle possessing a shank end of reduced cross-section; b) a suture possessing a tip region with a lubricant on at least a portion of its surface; and a heat shrinkable polymeric tubing around the shank end of the needle and the tip region of the suture, the tubing being shrunk around the shank end of the needle and the tip region of the suture to provide the combined surgical needle-suture device; the average level pull-out force required to achieve separation of the needle and suture being significantly less than that required for a similar combined surgical needle-suture device lacking lubricant on the surface of the tip region of the suture; wherein the suture is a multifilament suture, said multifilament suture coated with a suture coating along substantially the entire length thereof, said tip region being covered with a tipping agent, and wherein said tipping agent is cyanoacrylate. 